


A Kiss at Midnight

by onceuponanovel



Series: Dashing Through the Snow [1]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Custody Battle, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gift Fic, Mild Language, New Year's Eve, Prompt Fic, Rumbelle - Freeform, Rumbelle Revolution, Rumitch, Tumblr Prompt, dashing through the snow verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 05:12:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9369536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onceuponanovel/pseuds/onceuponanovel
Summary: Still unsure of what they are to each other, the Gold’s try to push things along by inviting Hayden, Ruby, and Elsa to a small party to bring in the New Year together.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MarieQuiteContrarie (SeaStar1330)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeaStar1330/gifts).



> Prompted by mariequitecontrarie: I loved Dashing Through the Snow and I would love more. May I please prompt a New Year's Eve gathering between Hayden and Ruby and Elsa and the Gold family?

Fretting over the table cloth, the menu that had been in the works days in advance, the dry cleaning hung on hook over the closet door…where the dishes spotless?

Belle tapped a finger to her chin, Bae following close behind, her little shadow as his mother poured over the last few details. Unfortunately she had yet to hear back from both parties. Ruby had been the first to respond emphatically with a yes at the idea of a small New Year’s shindig. However, she knew Hayden was more to be found at home with Elsa than venturing out.

She felt the soft hands of her husband give her shoulders a reassuring squeeze followed by a peck on the cheek, “It will be fine, my love.”

“He hasn’t responded to the phone calls…”

Turning her around to face him, “Belle, he will come, all three of them will. I guarantee it.” His hands dropped to her waist, circling around her petite frame, his mouth dipping down to brush against hers. “Please don’t worry. You saw that picture Elsa took. Was that not an example of a couple in love?”

As much as she wanted to work herself into a frazzle over this, she released a sigh, “Oh, all right. They’ll come and it’ll be the most fun we’ve all had in a long time.” She tried to sound convincingly as she truly wished to believe it herself.

He gave her another kiss, then bending down to plant a kiss on Bae’s mop of brown hair before leaving the mother and son to put the finishing touches on that night’s festivities as he had all the confidence his favorite duo would do a smashing job, they always did.

He exited their vacation home, it was the one thing he was actually able to surprise Belle in the early years of marriage, in her hometown of Storybrooke. He loathed the place, but it was her home and she loved it still.

Before he left his office, he snagged up the latest development in the custody battle between Hayden and his ex. This was the one case he’d been doing pro-bono, though he left that tiny little detail out when Hayden asked for his help. He took one last look inside the folder. He wanted to give the news to his friend in person.

 

* * *

 

 

There was a knock on the door of the trailer, but instead of waiting for him to reply, the person decided to waltz right in, which meant one of two people. The owner of this miserable mine, or the ice queen herself.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Hayden looked up from the paperwork on his desk and leaned back in his desk chair. “Thought you had all that fancy practice with Palarie?” he waved his ink pen as he spoke before tossing it onto the files before him.

Elsa looking none too pleased, palms planted on the edge of the desk, she scowled disapprovingly. Once again he had no clue as to what upset her majesty, but he figured she would soon enlighten him.

“Ohmygod, dad!” she rolled her silver eyes at him. “I can’t believe you forgot. Did you even call her?” she scoffed at her own comment. “Of course not, that would mean you actually talking.”

“What the hell is this all about?” he pushed himself up from his seat, resting his palms on the desk, both staring each other down in a battle of wills. This happened all too often between them. “Try again and without this shitty attitude of yours.”

“You didn’t call Ruby,” she moved one hand to her hip. “It’s been five days. Five days! You don’t just make out with someone and not call them.” With her lips pursed her blonde ponytail swaying as she shook her head. “Don’t you like her?”

He straightened up, his expression sobering. The time had honestly gotten away from him. Day after Christmas he had no choice but to go back to work, Elsa had a competition coming up after the new year, then there was Dottie and her never ending laments about how he was keeping their daughter away from her. Had it really been five days?

 _Aw, fuck_ , he thought, wiping a hand over his unshaven chin. He had no excuse to offer Ruby either. What kind of man doesn’t call a woman after, well as his daughter so delicately put it, made out with her? If she still had any interest in him, something he still did not comprehend, this may have just shot every chance he had to hell.

“I do,” he finally croaked out.

His daughter took his cell phone off the ledger to his left and held it out to him. “If you really like her, dad, call her. Fix this.”

He slipped the device out of his daughter’s hand and into his, staring down at it waiting for the magical answer to appear before his eyes. He wasn’t quite sure how to phrase this call. Would she even listen to him? She certainly could do better than him.

Before he got the chance to call Ruby, someone had decided to call him instead. He quickly answered it gruffly, “What do you want?”

“Hello to you too, Hayden,” Rumford snided on the other end. “I had hoped to drop by your office today, though something has come up. What do you say we talk this evening at Belle’s party? You are coming, correct?” Gold snickered into the receiver. “It is a guarantee that a certain Miss Lucas will be present.”

This was something else he had neglected. Belle had called him what, Christmas night saying she and Rumford had a few days off and would be vacationing right here in Storybrooke, damned if Hayden knew why.

“Uh, yeah, we’ll both be there,” Hayden answered the man.

“Good,” Gold replied and ended the call after that.

Hayden met his daughter’s gaze, “Call Ruby.”

“And what the hell am I supposed to say? I’m not good at this stuff,” he sneered.

Rolling her eyes at her father once more, “Ugh!” she added a face palm. “Okay, just call her. Tell her it was wrong of you not to call and ask to take her to the Gold’s tonight.”

He wanted to argue the fact that his daughter’s unruly attitude was rearing its ugly head once more, but she was right on all accounts. Heaving a sigh, “Fine,” he grumbled as he searched through his contacts and finally found Ruby’s name.

 

* * *

 

 

Throwing another dress on the bed, one by one it created a heaping pile of various hues of red. Ruby looked upon it disapprovingly. It had escaped her notice how much she wore red. Red and black.

Plopping down on the bedside, she poked through the pile with one hand and with her other briefly touching the foam hair rods in her hair. She had no idea what would be suitable for a date. No, it wasn’t a date. It was a small party of friends. In fact besides the kiss, though quite intense and something that was at the forefront of her mind…she swallowed her finger tips touching where he had once been, her mouth going dry and her heart beginning to race. She wanted to kick herself. Because had it been only that one kiss?

She knew they would definitely be taking things slow, you couldn’t rush a man like Hayden. Although he was the one to kiss her after knowing each other for only three days. The man was quite a puzzle, even more so since they had not spoken since Christmas. That didn’t stop Elsa from calling or texting her every day.

Belle had just called her that morning, making sure that she was indeed coming this evening. She was too embarrassed to ask Belle if Hayden and Elsa were coming. She didn’t want to be like a middle school girl passing notes to a friend to ask if a particular boy liked her.

Her phone began to ring, muffled under the heap of material, still it made Gerhardt’s ears perk up and he gave a little growl before trying his best to ignore it and return to his nap, curling up into a ball in his little dog bed.

Slipping a hand under the heap of clothes, she groped for the wolf howl ringer till her fingers reached the device. She retrieved it out and let out a gasp seeing that it was Hayden calling her. She had personalized his contact with the picture Elsa had taken of them…kissing.

Her face flushed remembering how wonderful it felt. She bit her lower lip staring down at the phone’s screen. Maybe that wasn’t a good idea? Of course it wasn’t. This was the first time he’d called her in five days. Five days. She should let it ring a few times before answering. Answering too soon would show how eager she was. She was eager, but he didn’t need to know that.

She swiped the answer call option and placed it up to her ear, “Hello?” she feigned any sort of excitement. Though he voice was steady, the rest of her was a jumble of nerves.

“Uh, hey, it’s Hayden,” he answered.

“Oh,” she pretended to be surprised. “Hi.” She had already said hello…ugh, she was already sounding stupid. “So, how are you?” She smacked her palm against her forehead. Was she incapable of speaking to a man she liked? She had no troubles talking to him before.

There is some kind of noise, another voice…female. She hoped it was Elsa.

“Busy,” he really did like to speak in monosyllabic sentences. “Um, listen, I kinda messed up.”

“How so?” she asked, crossing one leg over the other.

There was a lull, “I uh, I’m not good at this stuff. I should have called you sooner.” She had a feeling he wasn’t quite finished yet and to be honest she wanted to ask him why he hadn’t but, at the same time she was afraid of the answer she would receive. “Listen if you hate me for forgetting, fine. But if not, let me make it up to you?”

She felt a smirk tug on the edges of her lips, “What do you have in mind?”

“For starters, Belle’s party thing tonight,” he began.

“For starters?” she repeated him in a teasing tone. “What else then?”

She heard some kind of coaxing, oh good grief was Belle on the other end forcing him to do this? No, Hayden would listen to only one person…Elsa! _Oh, God bless that child._

“Can’t give away all my surprises now can I?” she was sure to have detected a sly smirk in the sound of his voice. Could he actually be flirting with her? It was difficult to tell. The man was a walking conundrum.

Her smirk grew to a smile, “All right then, surprise me,” she tried to flirt back. “And I’ll expect you here at eight sharp.”

He huffed a laugh on the other end, “I’ll be there.”

She ended the call with a quick ‘bye’ and fell back on the bed laughing like a giggly school girl. This feeling was soon replaced with the realization she had no time to lose. It was nearing six o’clock and her she had yet to take her hair out of the foam hair rods she’d set that morning.

All she had was red in her wardrobe, well, red would just have to do.

 

* * *

 

 

Killing the engine, Hayden paused sitting behind the wheel, checking the clock on the dash that read a couple of minutes to eight. He didn’t want to risk being late, not with her actually giving him a second chance. He didn’t understand her, she was quick to forgive…he wasn’t used to that.

“Well go on,” He felt Elsa give his shoulder a nudge from the passenger side. “And don’t forget these,” his daughter stuck the stupid single red rose under his own nose. He hated any kind of plants that didn’t serve a purpose. Flowers were most certainly at the top of his list of useless things the earth produced.

He took the stupid thing from his daughter as they both exited the vehicle. “Now what’re you doing?” he shut the car door abruptly and stepped away from the car.

“Uh, you obviously need my help,” Elsa fixed her blonde locks, looking in the side view mirror before straightening up and meeting him at the driver’s side. “I’m your wing woman.”

“Oh, Good Lord,” he grumbled under his breath.

“C’mon it’s fun,” she tilted her head to the side looking up to him with a mischievous demeanor. “It’ll be fine, dad. Just give Ruby the rose to smooth things over,” she pulled him down to her level with his free arm then placed a peck on his cheek. “If she didn’t like you, she would have hung up.”

His daughter eyes fixed on his, her words did little to put him at ease. He drew her in for a side hug to which she reciprocated by hugging him around his waist. Here she was all dolled up in a pale blue dress that sparkled with every step, much like she had a tendency to do. Her hair curled and already she could apply makeup. The glittering blue eyeshadow enhanced her silver eyes. It’s one of the reasons’ he dubbed her snowflake from a young age. The way she sparkled in her own unique way set her apart.

“C’mon, kiddo,” he guided Elsa with one arm still around her shoulders. Most kids would be embarrassed with such displays of affection, well he normally was, but his kid had a way of bringing out the one side of him that was soft. He just would never admit to it.

The snow had been cleared off from the steps and it was easier for Elsa to manage in her short heels. He reached to knock on the door with the back of his hand, before he realized they had a doorbell. With the little pup Gerhardt staying with Ruby, it was probably best.

The door opened shortly after hearing, a muffled ‘Coming’ in Ruby’s voice. He was taken aback seeing her for the first time since Christmas night. She stood all decked out wearing a sleeveless red dress with the neckline dipping just low enough display cleavage in a tasteful way while the material framed her lithe frame like fine art. Her hair was half up showing off her slender neck. It was all he could do to tear himself away from the beauty before him.

“Is that for me?” Ruby asked with a curious grin on her crimson lips, her eyes drifting towards the rose stem in his hands.

Elsa elbowed him in the ribs to bring him out of this trance she’d put him under. “Yeah,” he held it out. “You know only if you like things that are cliché as hell.”

Breathing a laugh she reached out to receive it, her fingers brushing up against his, “I do actually,” bringing the bloom to her nose to enjoy its scent. “Roses are my favorite.”

Elsa elbowed him again with a light snicker, enjoying knowing that she was right.

“Let me get my coat,” Ruby stepped back into the foyer. His eyes followed her and the dress sway with her hips with each step. She retrieved a fancier one than he’d seen her traveling with. This one was black and had some kind of fur around the collar, what did he know about ladies fashion? One thing he did know was Ruby did look stunning in this getup.

She brushed her hair out from under the collar to lie beautifully on her shoulders. Her smile beaming as she told Granny she’d see her next year laughing at her own corny joke. Closing the door behind her, “Ready?”

“Yeah,” he stepped aside turning he caught a glance from Elsa she mouthed ‘arm’ to him before Ruby could notice. He couldn’t believe he was actually humoring his daughter in this _wing woman_ thing. He would rather have Gold or hell even Palarie, with all the hazing that would come with it, be his wing man than his daughter.

However Elsa had yet to steer him wrong. Holding out a bent arm, he was surprised when she did in fact accept linking her arm with his. Once more Elsa wore a victorious smirk as she descended the stairs first and though she had rode in the passenger side, she reached for the handle of the back seat instead.

Ruby thanked him for opening the door for her as she took her seat. Coming around to the driver’s side, he was met with a sly smirk on his daughter’s lips. “What now?”

“Smooth,” she said approvingly with a thumbs up before opening the car door and ducking her head inside the vehicle.

He wasn’t about to indulge her with a reply. He got into the driver’s side enjoying listening to the ladies catch up while he was able to do what he enjoyed best, not participating in conversation. He was sure to have more than his fill this evening.

 

* * *

 

 

By the time the car pulled up to the Gold’s home, well their second home, Ruby was a bundle of nerves. Was this technically a first date for her and Hayden? She was too embarrassed to ask. He said this was _for starters_ and the way he spoke in code she wasn’t sure what he had in store for her.

About to open the car door for herself, she paused when Hayden simply said, “Hold on,” and met her at her side opening the door for her. She wasn’t sure if he was really trying to make up for not having picked up the phone, well he had been gentlemanly towards her as they traveled together.

She carefully took a step out of the car and uttered a ‘thank you’ softly as she gripped the small bag in her hands. When he offered her his arm once more, she willingly took it, this was the closest she’d been in contact with him since they shared that long and wonderful kiss on Christmas night.

The three of them reached the doorstep though Elsa beat them all to it, by smacking her glove masked hand up to the doorbell. The sound of a boisterous little boy bounding up to the door and his mother calling after him not to open the door, though little Bae now tall enough to reach it couldn’t resist.

“Hi, Bae,” Elsa bent down to give the kid a hug and picked him up in her arms as she stepped over the threshold.

“Bae!” Belle exclaimed. “I keep telling him not to do that,” Belle smoothed out the skirt of her sparkling pale blue dress only to realize she had an apron on top of it, “Oops,” she blushed as she reached behind her to untie the strings and once they were loose, she balled the material and tossed it aside. “Please come in out of the cold.”

Ruby stepped inside followed by Hayden. They had gold and silver lights, garland, candles; it was the perfect ambience for bringing in the New Year. And the scent wafting in from the kitchen, it was enough to make her stomach grumble.

“May I?”

She turns her head to look over her shoulder, Hayden offering to take her coat she noticed he’d decided to dress up, or well dress up for his standards. A nice steel blue sweater over a button up shirt did much to accentuate his silver eyes. Her coat, well, it wasn’t so much a coat as it was for fashion rather than function. “Um, yeah, thank you,” She was quite chilled and almost tempted to keep it on. After unzipping the bodice, she let him help her slide it off her arms, his fingertips brushing along her arm. Unsure as to whether it was on purpose, but it did cause her heart to flutter.

“Ah, hello, Ms. Lucas,” Ruby looked up to see Rumford strolling forward, his eyes drifted to Elsa holding Bae, “And Ms. Abernathy,” he gave the teen a nod as well, then once towards Hayden. “I’m happy you all could make it,” with a wave of his free hand, the other gripping the handle of his cane, “Won’t you join us in the dining room. My wife is punctual if anything,” he added with a chuckle.

Feeling a hand at the small of her back, “After you,” she hadn’t realized how close in proximity they were. She hoped she could blame her flushed face on the heat of the house and not due to the fact that whenever she felt him touch her, she felt flustered like a teenager.

Belle was a great lady of detail and when Ruby reached the table, next to each plate there were name cards, specifically placing her next to Hayden. Within minutes of being seated, all of them were feasting on the wonderful Beef Bourguignon her dear friend prepared. Belle had quite an affinity for Julia Child’s cook books. Though her stomach felt like a tidal wave of nerves.

“Put your phone away,” she heard Hayden scold Elsa to which she replied with a groan.

“It’s just Grace,” Elsa grumbled in retort as she set her phone aside. “She was telling me that her dad said she could stay up past midnight this year.” When Elsa received a warning look from her father she slumped in her seat, “Fine.”

All the while Ruby pulled in her lips trying not to snicker at the parallels between father and daughter. Elsa could be as grouchy as Hayden.

Bringing a glass of water to her lips she tried not to think of the question lingering in the forefront of her mind: _is this indeed a first date for her and Hayden?_

 

* * *

 

 

The meal wrapped up later as the small party was busy catching up in the post-Christmas news. Finally after a while of mingling, Belle invited the party into the living room. Before Hayden had the chance to pull out Ruby’s chair, she had already pushed it out and set her cloth napkin on the table beside her plate. Maybe it was for the best. It wouldn’t take long for her to detect. He didn’t want to lay this charm on so thick it was sickeningly out of character to him. She’d easily see through it. Not to say he couldn’t be gentlemanly when given the opportunity. Ruby however had actually grown to like him as he was; surliness and all.

Bae had his hand in Elsa’s as they left the dining room. Belle had glommed onto Ruby, whispering something between them. He wasn’t a fool, he knew that Belle was inquiring into the mess he’d created and was doing his best damage control to turn it around. That too was quite not like him. Usually he didn’t give two shits about what people thought of him. With Ruby though, he found himself caring a great deal of how she perceived him.

“Now that the ladies are talking, may I have a word with you?” Rumford came around him and didn’t wait for Hayden to reply. Instead Rum strolled directly into the direction of his office.

Hayden knew there was something Rum had wanted to inform him about earlier, a way to get him here tonight, and once he had entered the home office, shut the door behind him. “Okay, what is on your mind, Gold?” Hayden had an inkling this was to do with the ongoing custody battle between him and Dottie. He shoved his hands into the front pocket of his jeans waiting impatiently to hear what his ex-wife had tried this time.

Rum plucked a yellow manila envelope out of his leather attaché bag. Extending his arm, he waited for Hayden to receive it. “This is the latest developments in your case. I’m afraid there’s nothing more I can do.”

Hayden dropped his gaze to the envelope as he took it from Gold. Staring at it, he could hear Elsa’s laugh through the walls. This long drawn out battle between him and Dottie had lasted long enough and she enjoyed playing fast and loose. He never knew that about her till after they split up.

“Would you prefer me to read it aloud for you?” Gold said with touch of compassion in his voice.

Shaking his head, “Naw,” Hayden pinched the metal clip up and pulled back the seal. He wanted to enjoy knowing Elsa was in his care for as long as possible.

Reaching in, he extracted the single paper inside. As soon as his eyes flit over the page his shoulders eased as he shifted from one foot to the other. He couldn’t look away from the document in his hand. All that was needed was his signature and it would be final.

Gold tapped a pen against the document in Hayden’s hand, “Congratulations, Hayden. You won full custody.”

It seemed all to be too good to be true. But there it was in black and white. Dottie waving her rights, her signature clear at the bottom. The other line waited for his, declaring no one could take Elsa away from him.

He took the pen from Gold, having to steady his hand as he applied the pen to paper. He wanted his name to be clearly read by the lawyers and judge, and especially his ex. There was no better way he wished to bring in the New Year than to know that Elsa’s safety and happiness was secure.

Slowly he finished writing his signature before handing it back to Gold dumbfounded that it was now over. His friend removed the envelope, document still on top, out of Hayden’s hand. Gold slipped the document back into the envelope and then once more inside the leather case.

“I will bring this back with me to Philadelphia,” Gold dipped his chin down, “I wouldn’t have thought this would displease you?”

Hayden snapped himself out of this daze he’d been in, “No, it’s just…”

“You didn’t expect to win.”

No he hadn’t. What judge would take a girl from her mother only to let her be raised by a man like himself. For all he was, he loved his daughter. She was the only good thing he’d been able to do in his life and every time he looked upon her, it was with sheer pride.

“Thanks, Gold,” was all Hayden could manage.

“What’re friends for?” Gold slowly headed towards the door.

“I’ll, um,” Hayden brought a hand to a tense spot in the back of his neck. “Listen about the bill, it may…”

“It’s already taken care of,” Gold cut him off.

Hayden narrowed his brow, “I don’t take charity. I will pay the bill. Just give me a bit to come up with the money.”

“It was an anonymous benefactor,” Gold shrugged a shoulder. “That is all I know. What does it matter now? Isn’t it worth it to know that Elsa is right where she should be? To be with a father who loves and cherishes her as she should.” A smirk tugged on the corner of Gold’s mouth, “Seems to me all is as it should be.”

Gold knew more than he was telling and Hayden knew it. The man was shrewd, but a damn good friend. It was odd how their friendship began, but stranger things had happened in life. Either way it was always better to have a man like Gold on your side than against you.

With nothing more said, Gold opened the door and was greeted by the voice of his son. Hayden waited a moment to exit himself. He could hear Elsa’s laughter as she joined in the conversation with Belle and Ruby.

He stopped at the doorway to observe the two ladies. Ruby and Elsa got on well together. Elsa needed a woman’s influence in her life. And from the minute those two talked on the phone, Ruby had adored Elsa so much so it had rattled him.

Moving from the doorway, he went straight to his daughter who didn’t notice him, so deep in conversation with Ruby. He bent at the waist and put an arm around her shoulder to kiss the top of her head. The only time he ever would dare to show affection in public was to Elsa.

“Having fun?” he asked, admiring how grown up she looked.

“Yeah,” she met his gaze. “You okay, dad?”

“Fine,” he turned to Ruby next to see her smiling from ear to ear, he’d love to find a way to make her smile like that more often. “Uh, can I talk to you for a sec?”

Ruby gave Elsa’s hand a gentle squeeze and stood up to follow him out of the room. “Where are we going?” she asked as he snatched up his coat alone.

He didn’t answer her, but instead walked behind her and draped his coat around her shoulders. He reached for the door handle and opened it for her to step outside first. He didn’t want to make a big to do about it with Belle present, he’d give Elsa the news at home, but he felt the need to tell Ruby. Entrusting her with this news hopefully would be a step in the right direction.

She slipped her arms into the sleeves and hugged herself, “Okay, what is it you needed to make me leave a nice spot in front of the fireplace for?” He had missed her teasing tone.

“I won custody,” he didn’t need to explain more and as soon as it set in she practically jumped into his arms, hugging his shoulders laughing joyfully.

Leaning back to face him, “I’m so happy for you both,” she still hung onto him, he held her a tight embrace much like he had on Christmas night.

“Would you go out on a date with me?” he queried. “Not some group thing, a real date.”

Her smile beamed as she nodded, “I’d love to,” her head tilted to the side, her eyes still focused on his. “You know, you could kiss me at midnight?”

“Maybe I don’t want to wait that long,” his eyes left hers to focus on lips. The red lipstick had faded slightly throughout the evening, but all he could think about was how he wanted another taste.

Her hand moved from his shoulder to where the tension spot had once been had no disappeared. He leaned in with a slight smirk before their lips met for the second time. It was as good as their first, for him at least and tasted as sweet as he remembered.

He brought a hand that was placed on her back so to cradle her jaw and bring her close deepening the kiss. He nursed her lower lip, she slipping her tongue through, while raking her fingers through his hairline. It wasn’t till she softly moaned into his mouth that he hadn’t realized he could please a woman, especially a lady like Ruby.

He broke away as much as he’d like to never stop, “Ruby,” both of them trying to catch their breath.

Her lips still close enough to his, their breath mingling, “Yes?”

The thought had crossed his mind that his daughter was for sure spying on them by now, probably even Belle too. “You know they’re watching us,” brushing his thumb along her cheekbone.

“Mhm,” she hummed, biting her lower lip not at all concerned as she reached up to kiss him this time, it took only a matter of seconds as they fell into sync with each other once more.

 

* * *

 

 

“Well?” Belle asked from behind, a hand to her mouth as she awaited Elsa’s report.

Peeling back to slips of the venetian blinds, Elsa clapped a hand over her mouth as she saw her dad and Ruby kiss for the second time. It should gross her out, but it was sweet. Ruby made her dad happy and that in return made her happy.

She let them have their privacy as she pulled back her hand. Belle awaiting a response, but by Elsa’s expression Belle already knew and the two hugged each other, soon Bae joined in, wrapping his arms around their legs.

“I suppose this means they’re having a moment,” Gold huffed a laugh.

“Oh don’t you ruin this, Rum,” Belle wagged her finger at him as he sat in a chair snickering at the two, but the couple couldn’t keep a straight face and soon all of them were laughing. Belle wrapped an arm around Elsa’s shoulders.

Bae groaned, “What is the big deal?” he went to his Papa.

Elsa looked to the window, “You’ll understand someday,” she felt quite adult uttering those words that had been spoken to her for so many years. She parted from Belle’s embrace to make sure that things were still as they should be, peeking between the blinds. There was no way she was going to interrupt their kiss, even if it lasted till midnight.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading "A Kiss at Midnight" a DTTS one shot prompt. Not beta'd so expect mistakes. If you would like to prompt or more, please hop on over to my tumblr (onceuponanovel.tumblr.com).


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